Take a musical wander with Héloïse Werner and RNS Moves
On Sunday 17 March, you can be the first to hear a fascinating piece of music called Wander by composer and singer Héloïse Werner in Sage Two. She has written the unconventional score for RNS Moves, our inclusive ensemble of disabled musicians and non-disabled members from Royal Northern Sinfonia.
In every place she visits, along with her home of London, Héloïse loves wandering about, finding different neighbourhoods and being a part of the hustle and bustle. She says, “Ever-changing soundscapes ranging from glimpses of conversations to loud sirens to live music played by buskers surround me.”
A commission from The Glasshouse to compose new music for RNS Moves let Héloïse explore her love of wandering and make a soundscape with a difference. She found the whole project motivating from day one. Each player brought their creativity into the room and was up for trying anything. “This gave me a lot of freedom when writing the piece.”
Some instruments were new to Héloïse: the Headspace, played by RNS Moves founding member Clarence Adoo, and the Roborecorder invented and played by Liza Bec. “It’s been so rewarding to work closely with them on how to integrate these unique instruments into the work.”
When she was writing, Héloïse worked closely with RNS Moves to find out what best fitted their skills and how they learned music. “For some players, incorporating elements of improvisation and space into their part was very helpful; for others, setting motives they could memorise in advance was more appropriate. It all helped me shape the piece. I enjoyed the whole process.”
The result is an imagined walk through the noises of a city. A variety of instruments will draw the focus of the audience at points. “Using a mixture of field recordings and solo parts played live by the players, I improvise around the different buskers as I walk and sing through the ensemble.”
It’s a thrill to show new work to people for the first time and see how they react. “I’m particularly excited about this one because I’m joining this incredibly talented group of musicians to bring it to life – I think it will be a special night.”
